'Operation Cookie Monster': Dutch arrest their most-wanted suspect in cyber case

[July 25, 2023]  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch police have arrested a man they described as their most wanted suspect in the investigation into the Genesis Market, a dark web marketplace for stolen computer credentials, shut down in a multi-national crackdown dubbed "Operation Cookie Monster". 

The Genesis website was closed in April in an operation said at the time to involve law enforcement agencies from 17 countries and more than 120 arrests.

International investigators said the site had been used to sell stolen online credentials, such as web browser fingerprints and cookies, from more than 2 million people. The credentials could be used by hackers to bypass anti-fraud protections.

In a statement, police said the 32-year-old Dutch national, a resident of Brazil, could be one of the top 10 users of the Genesis Market.

They did not identify him or give details of the crimes he was alleged to have committed, beyond saying he was suspected of having duped many people, some of whom were robbed for tens of thousands of euros.

The suspect was arrested last week when he was in the Netherlands but police did not publicize the arrest until this week for investigative purposes.

(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Peter Graff)

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.